CVE-2007-0160 in CenterICQ
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in the LiveJournal support (hooks/ljhook.cc) in CenterICQ 4.9.11 through 4.21.0, when using unofficial LiveJournal servers, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code by adding the victim as a friend and using long (1) username and (2) real name strings.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/24/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-0160 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow affecting CenterICQ versions 4.9.11 through 4.21.0 when interacting with unofficial LiveJournal servers. This flaw resides within the LiveJournal support module located in the hooks/ljhook.cc file, demonstrating a classic software security weakness that has persisted across multiple iterations of the application. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the client processes friend requests from malicious actors who manipulate the username and real name fields with excessively long string data, creating a scenario where memory corruption occurs during normal operation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the fundamental principle of stack memory management where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. When CenterICQ processes a friend request containing overly long username and real name strings, the application fails to validate input lengths before copying data into fixed-size stack buffers. This condition creates a predictable overflow that can overwrite return addresses, function pointers, and other critical stack data structures, effectively compromising the application's execution flow. The vulnerability operates under CWE-121, which categorizes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enable remote code execution, making it particularly dangerous for users who maintain active social networking connections through the affected client. An attacker positioned as a friend requestor can exploit this weakness by crafting maliciously long strings that cause the application to crash or, in more sophisticated exploitation scenarios, inject and execute arbitrary code on the victim's system. This type of vulnerability is especially concerning in social networking contexts where users frequently accept friend requests from unknown parties, creating an attack surface that can be exploited through social engineering techniques. The vulnerability affects the core communication functionality of CenterICQ, potentially allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to user accounts or compromise entire systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected CenterICQ versions to address the buffer overflow in the LiveJournal support module. System administrators should implement input validation measures that enforce maximum length restrictions on username and real name fields, particularly when processing data from external sources. The recommended approach involves implementing proper bounds checking mechanisms in the hooks/ljhook.cc file to prevent data overflow conditions, along with establishing network-level restrictions that limit the size of incoming data from unofficial LiveJournal servers. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of accepting friend requests from unknown sources and the importance of maintaining updated software versions. Security monitoring should include detection of unusually long string data patterns in network traffic, and the implementation of intrusion detection systems that can identify potential exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability pattern.